Legacy
by boop-oop-ee-doo
Summary: The restored Avengers grieve and reflect on those they've lost, and what they can do to honor them.
1. Natasha

AN: Enjoy!

* * *

In the chaos of their restoration, the glorious high of their victory over Thanos, all too quickly followed by the crushing low of Tony Stark's death, it took some time for those who had been restored to realize that Tony was not the only Avenger missing. Not the only Avenger lost to them forever.

* * *

Well, some noticed sooner. For Nebula, who's present self had not been with the Avengers when they returned from their time heist, the painful truth had struck her when she had briefly spotted Barton dashing alone across the battlefield, and realized that she had not seen Romanoff since she and Barton had departed for Vormir. The redhead's playful parting quip before the heist had began suddenly rang in Nebula's ears.

_"See you in a minute."_

The Avengers, old and new, had all been prepared to die for their cause. Nebula had known where Barton and Romanoff were going. Known that there was a very high chance that only one of them was going to come back. And yet, stupid and sentimental though it might have been, Nebula had hoped they would beat the odds. It seemed like if any one could, it would be those two. And even if they couldn't, it had somehow never occurred to Nebula that Romanoff would be the one who didn't come back.

She shook her head. Now was not the time for grief. After caring for nothing and no-one but her sister for so long that even having another person she wanted to grieve for was a new and slightly confusing emotion for Nebula. Instead, she channeled the grief into a scream of rage and fought on, fighting in Natasha Romanoff's name, honoring her the only way she knew how.

* * *

Wanda noticed. Though struggling with her still raw grief over Vision's death, she noticed. She didn't see Natasha as they all raced into battle against Thanos's army. She didn't feel the familiar strong, steady presence of Natasha's mind that she'd come to know so well in their time on the run together. She wasn't far away, wasn't injured, or unconscious.. Natasha Romanoff was just gone.

Wanda knew. She knew the worst had happened. But now was not the time to dwell on this loss. Instead, Wanda played her part in the battle. She faced down Thanos. She stood with Carol Danvers, helped her, as Wanda had once been helped by Natasha.

_"She's not alone."_

After, when the battle was won, Wanda still wasn't ready to face it. In her mind, she had only just lost Vision, his death a raw, gaping wound in a heart that had already been broken. She couldn't bring herself to ask the question that would confirm her fears, confirm that yet another person she loved had been taken from her forever.

* * *

In the end, Sam Wilson had asked the question.

"Hey, where's Nat?" He'd asked it almost casually, looking around the gathering survivors as if expecting her to appear at any moment. But then Steve Rogers had looked at him, an unnatural droop to his shoulders.

"Nat.. Nat didn't make it."

"No.." Sam's heart dropped into his gut. Natasha Romanoff had seemed untouchable. Bucky draped an arm over his shoulders, and Sam didn't try shrugging him off. Sam's shock resonated through the group. He was dimly aware of Wanda Maximoff collapsing into tears somewhere near him, of Clint Barton gathering her into his arms, but Sam could find no more words. Neither, it seemed, could anyone else.

No one who'd known Natasha Romanoff could believe she was really gone.

* * *

Learning about this second great loss, on top of losing Mr. Stark, made Spider-Man almost want to punch a wall. He didn't, mostly because there were no walls to punch.

Peter Parker hadn't known Natasha Romanoff well. She'd gone on the run not long after he met her. What he did remember was positive. He'd been nervous, donning his suit for the first time before the fight at the airport. He remembered a friendly smile, a comforting pat on the shoulder.

_"You'll be fine kid. No-one will be out to hurt you. Just stick to whatever Stark's told you. He does know what he's doing, most of the time.. But never tell him I said that."_

Peter had asked about Natasha after the battle, only for Mr. Stark to tell him, quite gruffly, that the Widow had switched sides.

Now Mr. Stark would never tell him anything again, gruffly or otherwise, and Peter would never get the chance to know Natasha better. Both of those things felt so wrong.

* * *

Wanda got a short respite from her grief through the miracle of restoring Vision. Of course, this did not take away the pain of Natasha's death, or her complicated feelings about Stark's. But it did give her someone with whom to share her grief, as her losses were also Vision's. Unfortunately, the gaps in Vision's memory meant he sometimes forgot, forcing Wanda to open the wounds anew.

_"Vision, get your ass back on that table!"_

Vision suddenly sat bolt upright in bed, snippets of disjointed memory floating through his mind. Wanda stirred beside him, blinking sleep from her eyes.

"Vizh?" She sat up, taking Vision's hand and giving it a comforting squeezr. "Did you have another nightmare? It's okay.."

"No.." Vision's brow furrowed, as though he was trying to focus, the grounding presence of Wanda's hand in his proving a great help to him. "No, I don't think so.. just memories.. Natasha.."

"Yes.."

"She.. She's g-gone, isn't she?"

"Yeah.." Wanda confirmed sadly, though relieved he had remembered himself, and she didn't have to tell him all over again. "Nat's gone."

"I'm going to miss her" said Vision quietly.

"So am I" she kissed his cheek. "You think you can go back to sleep?"

"Yes" Vision laid back down, pulling Wanda close to him and pressing a kiss into her hair. She was the one constant, perfect thing in his life right now, the one thing of which he was absolutely certain, and he would never let her go.

* * *

Every second Sunday, any surviving Avengers or Avenger affiliated persons had a standing invitation for 'Family' dinner at the Barton Farm. One particular second Sunday fell on what would have been Natasha Romanoff's next Birthday, so instead, the Family Dinner had become a whole day of celebrations, lunch and dinner included.

They told stories about Nat, had a few toasts in her name. And now, full of lunch and waiting for dinner to cook, they all relaxed in various spots around the farm as the sun was just beginning to set.

Wanda watched Vision a short distance away from her, two small giggling figures chasing him. One unexpected advantage of the restored not aging was that Morgan Stark had gained an instant best friend in little Nate Barton. But another Barton child, Wanda noticed, was not quite so happy. Wanda found herself moving to Lila Barton, sitting alone under a tree. She was clutching an old photograph of Natasha and herself.

"Lila" Wanda asked gently, "Are you alright?"

Lila looked up at her, with eyes that looked like they were almost, but not quite, going to fill with tears.

"Auntie Nat was going to teach me to fight, one day.. basic stuff, just in case" Lila explained. "But then she had to go away.. and now.." The tears threatened.

"Hey.." Wanda sat with her. "It's okay. Maybe.. Maybe I can teach you."

"Really?"

"Well, Nat taught me. I'm not nearly as good as she was, but I can do the basic stuff, and a few other moves.. Except the thigh thing" Wanda frowned. "Never could get that."

"I don't think Dad would want me to learn that anyway."

They both laughed, and the tears faded from Lila's eyes. Nat may have been gone, but she would live on in those she'd left behind.


	2. Tony

AN: Enjoy!

* * *

Peter Parker played the battle over again in his mind. His return, the hug from Mr. Stark, his eventful sprint with the Gauntlet.. Over and over again, and again. Trying to pinpoint if there was anything he could have done differently. Anything that would have changed the outcome.

Anything, so that Mr. Stark would still be alive.

Every time he came to the same conclusion.. There was nothing Peter could have done any different, any better. Peter's role in the whole event was actually rather small. Still, it was hard to accept that nothing could have been done. Harder to accept that Mr. Stark was really gone.

He knew that Aunt May was worried about him, but she didn't push. She understood that he needed to take his own path through his grief, and for that he was grateful.

Peter settled back into his life, attending school, hanging out with Ned.. But he was really just going through the motions. Until the day that an unexpected visitor arrived after school..

* * *

There came a knock on the door that May answered, followed by a couple of voices that Peter didn't quite recognize.

"Hello, Ma'm" said the first voice, sounding like it had come from a young man, but not too young.

"Is Peter Parker home?" asked another, older male voice.

"He is" May replied, and from his room, Peter could hear her step aside to let the men in, before she called to him. "Peter, you have visitors!"

"Okay, I'm coming" Peter, somewhat reluctantly, exited his room to greet his rather surprising visitors. Surprising, because he did in fact recognize one of them. The guy with the metal arm- Barnes?- who was already trying to leave.

"I was really just driving the old man here.. I can wait in the car.."

"It's much too cold for that Today!" May objected. "Come to the Kitchen, I'll get you a warm drink.."

"Well.." He was going to argue, but May was already walking off, so he followed her. "Thank you, Ma'm.."

"May is fine.."

There was something strangely familiar about the second visitor, but Peter couldn't quite put his finger on it, at least until he spoke.

"Hey, Queens."

"Oh" Peter's eyes widened, suddenly remembering about the unusual fate that had befallen Steve Rogers. "Captain America.. I.. um.."

"I used to be" Steve replied as he sat down, wincing as his aging joints objected to the movement. "Just Steve now, though."

"Right.." Peter swallowed a lump in his throat as he sat beside Steve. He remembered running past him in his haste to reach Mr. Stark as he'd lain dying. "W-Why are you here, sir?"

"Happy Hogan was worried about you" said Steve.

"I-I'm fine.."

"You know, you meant a lot to him.."

"Happy?" Peter frowned.

"Tony" Steve clarified. "He was heartbroken over losing you.. and I'm pretty sure getting you back was one of his biggest reasons for rejoining the Avengers."

"It.. It was?" Tears prickled at the corners of Peter's eyes.

"It was" Steve confirmed, laying a comforting hand on the boy's shoulder.

"I.. I miss him."

"So do I.."

"Now.. Now that he's gone.." Peter sniffled, "Now that you.. Someone has to step up.. fill his shoes.. I-I'm not sure I can.."

"You don't have to" said Steve. "Not until you're ready. There're are plenty of people to hold the fort until that time comes. You're a kid, Peter. Just be a kid for a while. I think that's what Tony would have wanted for you."

"You think so?"

"I do. Actually, I think he wanted something similar for everyone" said Steve. "'Why we fight, is so we can end the fight..'"

"That does sound like something he'd say" Peter managed a small smile. "I think.. maybe I could use a bit of normal.. My School is planning a trip to Europe this Summer."

"Sounds like fun."

"Yeah.. Yeah, I think it will be."

They fell into a comfortable silence, until Steve pulled a pen and a scrap of paper from his pocket, scribbling something on it.

"I know no-one can replace what Tony was to you, and no-one should try" Steve handed the paper, containing his phone number, to Peter. "But if you ever need to talk, I'm available. I'm sure we've both got some+ good stories about him."

"I think I'd like that" Peter's smile widened, just a little. It was nice to be reminded that Tony's legacy was a burden to be carried by many, and did not rest solely on his young shoulders.

* * *

Tony Stark was dead. Wanda Maximoff was still not quite sure how she felt about that. How she felt about him.

For a significant chunk of her life, 'Stark' had been a dirty word, spoken with venom whenever she or Pietro used it. Stark, the man responsible for the deaths of their parents.

So, imagine her surprise when, upon meeting him, Stark was not immediately identifiable as the monster that Wanda had envisioned. He was arrogant, and often thought he knew better than everyone around him. But his heart was, usually, in the right place. And then.. how could someone as horrible as she had once believed Stark be even partially responsible for the creation of someone as pure as The Vision had turned out to be?

Stark's company may have built the bomb that destroyed Wanda Maximoff's home, and Stark himself may even have designed it.. But he was not the one who fired it.

After awhile, Wanda found that she did not hate Tony Stark anymore. At least, not completely.. Until the Civil War happened, seemingly destroying any progress that Wanda had made in the 'Not hating Tony Stark' department.

But then.. Then there was after. Stark must have been told to search for the escaped former Avengers, but they had never seen any sign of Stark tech when they were on the run. When Vision began making his secret trips to visit Wanda every few months, Stark must have had some idea of where he was going, or at least, very strong suspicions. But he had never said a word.

Then Thanos had come, Vision had been destroyed. Wanda had been erased from existence, and was almost grateful for it.. But before she knew what was going on, she was alive again, she was fighting, taking her revenge against Thanos, supporting Carol Danvers in battle..

Then Tony Stark was dead. He had died saving them all.

But he had left Wanda with the most wonderful gift. He had brought Vision back to her.. Well, most of him, apart from the final missing piece that Wanda had needed to give herself.

And now she and Vision were living in Tony Stark's Lake House, with his wife and his adorable little daughter.

Quite suddenly, without Wanda even really realizing it had happened, 'Stark' had become 'Tony' in her memory. She found herself wishing she had known him better.

'Stark' was no longer a dirty word. Especially not now that it was attached to Morgan Stark, a little girl she was growing to love very much.. And who was currently clambering into her lap as she sat by the lake reading.

"Hi, Wanda" Morgan greeted, grinning a cheeky grin very much like Tony's.

"Hello, Morgan" Wanda smiled, setting aside her book to run a hand through Morgan's dark hair, also like her Father's. "What are you up to?"

"Mommy says me and Vision can make cupcakes to take to dinner at Nate's House" Morgan explained. "Do you wanna help?"

Wanda glanced over to where Vision stood waiting nearby. He waved at her, a slightly nervous smile on his face.

"I had better" Wanda chuckled. "I'm not sure Vision has remembered how to cook very well yet."

Morgan giggled, and Wanda smiled, scooping the little girl into her arms as she stood to head back inside.

Wanda Maximoff would never get to know Tony Stark properly, and she regretted that.

But in Morgan, she was getting to know at least one little piece of him very well.. And she loved the piece she knew.


End file.
